NOSTALGIA: This week in 1968 and 1978

This week (February 21 edition) in 1968 ...
Bridesmaid-to-be Peggy Bray, of Friskney, ended up in London Road Hospital, Boston, rather than church after suffering a broken arm in a car accident in 1968. Here, she receives the bouquet from bride Pamela Wray by way of consulation. EMN-180314-163732001Bridesmaid-to-be Peggy Bray, of Friskney, ended up in London Road Hospital, Boston, rather than church after suffering a broken arm in a car accident in 1968. Here, she receives the bouquet from bride Pamela Wray by way of consulation. EMN-180314-163732001
Bridesmaid-to-be Peggy Bray, of Friskney, ended up in London Road Hospital, Boston, rather than church after suffering a broken arm in a car accident in 1968. Here, she receives the bouquet from bride Pamela Wray by way of consulation. EMN-180314-163732001

* Gale force winds had turned the Fens into a dust bowl, as top soil was whipped from the land.

Crops had been laid bare, traffic hampered, and dyke’s filled to overflowing.

The anti-Transport Bill protest in Boston in March 1978.The anti-Transport Bill protest in Boston in March 1978.
The anti-Transport Bill protest in Boston in March 1978.
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In the Horncastle and Spilsby area, one road was blocked to a depth of four feet.

* Thirty-nine lorries, led by a police motorcycle, covered a three-mile course through Boston town centre in an anti-Transport Bill parade.

The drive was organised jointly by the Boston Branch of the Road Haulage Association and a number of Boston Chamber of Commerce members in protest to a number of proposals carried in the bill.

These included increased licence duty on vehicles over three ton and an Abnormal Load Tax of up to £15 per mile.

The anti-Transport Bill in Market Place.The anti-Transport Bill in Market Place.
The anti-Transport Bill in Market Place.
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However, as the paper noted: “Surprisingly, for a demonstration out to attract public attention through the posters on the sides of the vehicles, they travelled at what for them was an unusually high speed through the town.

“All traffic lights had been turned off along the route and police or traffic wardens were stationed at all major intersections. Vehicular and pedestrian traffic was held up while the lorries were hurried through.”

This week in 1978 ...

Eighteen-year-old Chris Woods, of Kirton Holme, made his Wembley debut as Nottingham Forest’s stand-in goalkeeper in the League Cup Final against Liverpool.

The anti-Transport Bill protest makes its way through Strait Bargate.The anti-Transport Bill protest makes its way through Strait Bargate.
The anti-Transport Bill protest makes its way through Strait Bargate.

Woods, who would go on to be an England international, kept a clean sheet in the tie which finished 0-0.

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The Wembley trip was a real family affair, with Chris’ parents, Eric and Pat Woods, his younger brother Jim, his cousin, Mark Bates, of Frampton West, and his grandparents, Mr and Mrs Geoff Dawson, of Swineshead, all attending.

Mrs Dawson said: “Football has been my life and when, 21 years ago, I saw my brother as manager of Aston Villa lead his team on to the Wembley pitch, I thought that was my glory day. But I never dreamed I would see my own grandson play there. That really was a tremendous experience and I’m so terribly proud of him.”

As fate would have it, at the other end of the pitch on the day was another Lincolnshire lad – Skegness-born keeper Ray Clemence.

A replay would follow just four days later at Manchester United’s Old Trafford ground, where Woods would help Forest towards a 1-0 victory and, as a result, the League and League Cup double.